The Association of Former Students

Article provided by The Association of Former Students.

Howdy, and welcome to Aggieland! Whether you are forging a new path as the first Aggie in your family or continuing the legacy of several generations, the Aggie Network is not complete without you. From “Howdy” to “Here,” The Association of Former Students is with you at every step of your journey over the next four years and beyond.

From its name, you might expect that The Association, founded in 1879, helps you stay connected after you graduate – but did you know The Association is a part of your Aggie experience before your first class? We are excited to see you during Howdy Week, where The Association will host your first official on-campus yell practice and you can try on a Class of 2026 Aggie Ring in anticipation of one of the 22 | July 25, 2022

most exciting days of your time as a student. When you have successfully completed the requirements for the most recognizable symbol of the Aggie Network, you will visit The Association to order your Aggie Ring and then again to celebrate with your friends and family on Aggie Ring Day! In between these milestones, The Association provides financial support for scholarships, student organizations and the campus activities that enrich your collegiate experience. In 2022, The Association will provide an impact of more than $14 million to Texas A&M University.

When you need some fresh air, there will be no better place to study, spend time with friends or simply relax than Aggie Park, a premiere greenspace in the heart of campus that is being developed and fundraised for by The Association. Envisioned as “an outdoor MSC,” you can be among the first to experience the transformed space at the FREE Aggie Park Kickoff Concert on Sept. 2, headlined by Robert Earl Keen, Jr. ’78!

No matter where life takes you, you will always be a part of the Aggie Network. No other university maintains the connection to its alumni like Texas A&M, and you will experience this first-hand as you travel the world and spot your fellow Aggies by their Rings! To further this connection, The Association supports local A&M Clubs, Aggie Musters and other special events. You will always have a home in Aggieland, where you can return for Class Reunions, tailgates in Aggie Park or simply to reminisce on your time at Texas A&M in the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. As a former student, you can give back to the next generation of Aggies as a member of The Association’s Century Club.

The Association of Former Students proudly supports Texas A&M and our core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. We connect Aggies to one another and their cherished alma mater. To learn more about The Association, visit AggieNetwork.com or follow @ AggieNetwork on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By Travis L. Brown • travis.brown@theeagle.com

In the midst of a slow start to the Texas A&M baseball season, first-year Aggie head coach Jim Schlossnagle relied on a well-known snack to hammer home how to build a program.

Winning, Schlossnagle said, was like the snack chip Pringles. Once you eat one, you just can’t stop yourself.

Armed with cans of Pringles throughout the A&M dugout, the baseball team took Schlossnagle’s message to heart and claimed its last seven straight SEC series, swept the regional and super regional to earn College World Series berth and advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in program history.

“The Pringles thing started. I think there was a common bond among everybody that came out of that LSU, Baton Rouge weekend… I think they started to believe in themselves and, frankly, I had more belief in them than I did going into that weekend,” Schlossnagle said at the end of their College World Series run.

Early season losses to Penn and Houston, along with A&M’s bullpen giving up lead in a loss to Wichita State seemingly put Schlossnagle’s first season on the ropes. The new head coach had left his nearly twodecade post at TCU for the Aggie job, replacing former skipper Rob Childress.

Beyond the fun that surrounded Pringles, Schlossnagle credited designated hitter Austin Bost for an act of selflessness that helped propel the team through its Southeastern Conference opening series at LSU. Having never played middle infield in his career, Bost offered to take up second base after a slew of injuries plagued the Aggie infield. His bat helped spark one of the SEC’s most potent offenses through conference play.

By the end of the season, the Aggies paced the SEC in conference games in batting average (.290), onbase percentage (.398), runs scored (233), hits (311), RBIs (221), doubles (59), triples (7) and walks (172).

A&M moved from off the radar to the No. 5 national seed in the NCAA tournament, hosing a College Station regional that featured Schlossnagle’s